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USFWS Continues Seizing "Worked" CITES Trophy Items

(posted January 19, 2009)

The US Fish & Wildlife Service has once again seized trophy items that were "worked" or made into utilitarian items. This time it was some whips made from the back skin of a hippo taken in Zambia. The whips were shipped with the tusks and skull of the hippo with a CITES Appendix II export permit coded "H" for sporthunted. You'll recall our previous bulletin on this issue, which has to do with the way USFWS now defines "trophy" under those new agency regulations that have created havoc with trophy shipments from all over the world. Any utilitarian or decorative item (such as jewelry, accessories and furniture) made from a CITES species must be coded "P" for personal on the export paperwork, not "H" or the item will be confiscated.

According to John J. Jackson, III, of Conservation Force (www.conservationforce.org) the latest seizure has at least clarified some questions regarding the new regulations. The seizures began earlier this year with rhino and elephant items that USFWS considered personal. As "non-trophy" items they required a CITES Appendix I permit (instead of Appendix II) due to language in the CITES downlisting of these species. It was unclear at that time whether the same requirements would be made of other CITES Appendix II animals like the hippo. Jackson says the seizing agent in this latest case explained that the hippo shipment should have been on two separate export permits, one coded "P" and the other coded "H." This is the first seizure of an Appendix II species. Jackson says, "The USFWS is phasing in its new regulations, so we don't know how far it will be implemented until there are new seizures."

Until this issue is completely sorted out, the safest course of action for hunters importing CITES trophies into the United States continues to be importing the trophy parts as unworked items. Wait to have your CITES trophy parts converted into utilitarian items after importing them into the US.

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